Alaska Launches “Voices Across Alaska Fund” to Preserve Public Media

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July 28, 2025

Anchorage, Alaska — July 28, 2025 — In response to sudden and sweeping federal cuts to public broadcasting, The Alaska Community Foundation has launched the “Voices Across Alaska Fund,” a statewide initiative to stabilize, protect, and reimagine Alaska’s public media funding support.

Congress voted to eliminate a key funding stream that sustained public media across Alaska. Administered by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), this funding supported local radio and television stations that serve as lifelines in many communities. Before the cuts, Alaska was receiving 28% of CPB’s system support funding, a reflection of the state’s vast geography and the critical role public media plays in remote areas that may not have other reliable communication infrastructure. The loss now threatens to dismantle the essential local news, educational programming, emergency communication, and cultural preservation services provided by 27 public media stations across Alaska. 

The effects of this defunding are most severe in Alaska’s smallest and most remote communities — places where terrestrial radio can sometimes be the only lifeline to real-time information. In these areas, internet and cellular service can be unreliable or unavailable.

Without immediate and sustained intervention, Alaska’s public media stations, National Native News, Native America Calling, and NV-1 Native Satellite are projected to lose over $15 million annually, leading to:

  • The elimination of local journalists and rural news coverage.

  • The shutdown of educational and civic programming.

  • The collapse of shared services and professional broadcast operations.

  • And, in many cases, the complete loss of broadcast signals in remote communities.

“These stations are often their community’s only local media presence, and people rely on them for real-time emergency alerts, weather updates, and vital community news,” said Jaclyn Sallee, president and CEO of Koahnic Broadcast Corporation. “In regions unreachable by road, where subsistence lifestyles take residents far from towns and deep into the land, having access to radio can mean the difference between safety and danger. Public media is a critical public service nationwide, and in Alaska, it’s a necessity.”

The “Voices Across Alaska Fund,” created by The Alaska Community Foundation, is a coordinated philanthropic and civic response to this urgent crisis. The fund is designed to address immediate funding shortfalls while building long-term resilience and innovation for Alaska’s public media system.

“The goal isn’t just to keep the lights on — it’s to ensure that every Alaskan, regardless of geography, has access to trusted, local, life-saving information,” said Alexandra McKay, President and CEO of The Alaska Community Foundation. “This is about voice and connection in the face of a fractured information landscape.”

The fund is open for donations from individual donors, corporate donors and philanthropic organizations alike, and will be overseen by an advisory board of Alaska public media leaders. Advisors include: Ed Ulman, president and CEO of Alaska Public Media, Mollie Kabler, executive director of CoastAlaska, and Jaclyn Sallee, president and CEO of Koahnic Broadcast Corporation to ensure the funds are distributed equitably among Alaska’s public media organizations. This structure reflects ACF’s commitment to supporting grassroots efforts and letting subject matter experts make key decisions about funding priorities. The fund invites partnerships from foundations, corporations, and individuals who understand the indispensable role public media plays in Alaska’s civic, cultural, and emergency response networks.

“This is a defining moment for Alaska’s public media system,” said Ed Ulman, president and CEO of Alaska Public Media. “The loss of CPB funding represents a direct threat to the health of our communities. Public media is essential, and together, we are asking Alaskans across the state to protect the infrastructure that connects our communities, informs our citizens, and saves lives. We are committed to Alaska for the long haul, and to building a stronger, more resilient system that serves Alaskans for generations to come.”

“Voices Across Alaska Fund” invites support from those who believe in the power of providing everyone, regardless of geography or income, with the ability to hear local stories and have access to the information they need to stay safe, engaged, and informed.  Public media is a public good — one that strengthens community life across Alaska.

Contributions to the fund will help preserve essential programming and create a sustainable pathway forward for public media services across the state.

To learn more or donate, visit the “Voices Across Alaska Fund” here.

To discuss funding and partnership opportunities, contact:

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About The Alaska Community Foundation

The Alaska Community Foundation (ACF) inspires the spirit of giving and connects people, organizations, and causes to strengthen Alaska’s communities now and forever. Founded in 1995, ACF manages over $250 million in assets and administers more than 2,800 funds for the benefit of Alaskans. Together with its Affiliate Foundations, ACF supports donors and nonprofits, distributing over $15 million in grants annually. Learn more at www.alaskacf.org.